In a move that might go down as one of the most controversial trades in ODBHL history, whispers of conspiracy have started swirling around the blockbuster trade that saw goalie Mackenzie Blackwood sent from the Bathurst Angry Ducks to the Moncton Melons last season. Officially, the trade looked aboveboard:
To Moncton Melons:
• Mackenzie Blackwood
• Jason Robertson
• Ben Hutton
• Future Considerations
To Bathurst Angry Ducks:
• Matt Murray
• Matt Coronato
• Robby Fabbri
• Hendrix Lapierre
• Season 13 Moncton 1st Round Pick
• Season 12 Bathurst 3rd Round Pick
At the time, it was heralded as a bold move for both teams. But now, as we enter Season 13, some are wondering if this deal was part of a master plan so devious it makes the Watergate scandal look like a playground spat.
The Plot Thickens
Here’s the theory: Mackenzie Blackwood, a Ducks draft pick and ODBHL legend, secretly agreed to the trade with one ulterior motive—help the Ducks and only the Ducks. The alleged arrangement? Blackwood would give his absolute best effort in Season 12 to ensure Moncton made a strong playoff push while Bathurst executed one of the most legendary tank jobs the league has ever seen.
The result? Bathurst secured the first overall pick in Season 12, thanks to a trade, positioning them to rebuild around a superstar prospect.
But wait—it gets even juicier. With Bathurst holding Moncton’s first-round pick from the trade, the Ducks were perfectly positioned to manipulate their destiny further. Enter Season 13. Blackwood, the anchor of Moncton’s success, suddenly starts having an “off year,” causing the Melons to plummet in the standings and miss the playoffs. Meanwhile, Bathurst, in the other conference, also misses, locking in both the first and second overall picks for the upcoming draft.
Why Would Blackwood Agree to This?
The skeptics say Blackwood had every reason to play along:
• Love for the Ducks: Bathurst is the team that drafted him, and sources close to the goalie say his loyalty to the organization remains unshakable.
• Nothing Left to Prove: He’s won every individual award a goalie could dream of. What more does he have to play for?
• The Money’s Guaranteed: Whether he’s stopping pucks or letting them slip by, the paychecks keep rolling in.
Coincidence or Conspiracy?
While many chalk this up to a series of fortunate events for Bathurst, some aren’t so sure. How did Moncton go from playoff contenders in Season 12 to bottom-dwellers in Season 13? And was Blackwood’s sudden drop-off in performance purely coincidental, or part of the plan?
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll uncover if there’s more to this plot than meets the eye. Could GM Sullivan really have orchestrated the greatest heist in ODBHL history? Is Blackwood truly a co-conspirator, or just an innocent pawn in a master plan? One thing’s for sure: the Angry Ducks and their Season 13 draft are about to become the stuff of legend.
1/9/2025 - 482 words
